


Sacrificial Lamb

by carnivalinsidemyhead



Category: Take That
Genre: Gen, Mark’s overdeveloped sense of responsibility, exploitative Nigel, protective natured Jason, self doubt and insecurities, sort of rentboy Mark
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-08
Updated: 2019-08-08
Packaged: 2020-08-12 23:09:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 776
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20164147
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/carnivalinsidemyhead/pseuds/carnivalinsidemyhead
Summary: “I gotta do something to contribute, right?”





	Sacrificial Lamb

He’s worried about him, he supposes. They had all been so excited when Nigel had given them the news that someone from a record company was interested enough in them to meet them and discuss potentially signing them. But then Nigel had asked Mark to stay behind in his office and Mark’s face had gone from bubbling joy to resigned acceptance in less than a blink of an eye. And Nigel had...Jason wasn’t sure he wasn’t imagining it, but he seemed to look at Mark in the same way that he looked at Jason that always made him so uncomfortable-just lecherous enough to feel vaguely violated, except with an undercurrent of something else as well this time, something Jason couldn’t recognize or define. 

Which is what leads him to standing outside Nigel’s office and eavesdropping on their conversation. He’s already had quite the argument with himself over doing so-in the end rationalizing that it wasn’t wrong to act unethically in the aid of a friend, that it would in fact be less ethical for him to not eavesdrop if it turned out that Mark was in trouble, and that it was dangerous really to be too strictly ethical around Nigel Martin Smith because he’d eat you alive.

“I don’t have to tell you how important this meeting is, do I?” Nigel asks Mark. “Or how much we all need you to be a good boy for us.”

Jason frowns. What does Nigel mean “be a good boy?” Why is he telling Mark, of all people, this? Mark who is always good-the most obliging of the lot of them. If Nigel was going to remind any of them to be on their best behavior, Jason thought for sure it would be Robbie…

He is so caught up in puzzling it out that he nearly misses the rest of the rather one sided conversation.

“Right, so you’re to come with me tomorrow ahead of the others and help smooth the way for them. I don’t anticipate too much difficulty...he was quite eager when he got your photo..from all I’ve heard, you’re just his type. And as long as I can count on you to...shall we say…”be accommodating” to him.

Jason begins to feel slightly ill. 

Mark mutters something Jason can’t quite make out. Nigel speaks again in a more strident tone.

“How accommodating is accommodating? In this case, anything goes, alright? I won’t be hearing that our meeting got canceled because you decided to be a little tease.”

Jason feels even more ill. And angry.

He storms into the office, forgetting for the moment that he isn’t supposed to be there and he definitely isn’t supposed to have heard what he had just heard.

“You fucking pimp! You’re seriously sending that kid out to get bloody raped for a record deal??”

Nigel sighs. “Must you always be so overdramatic? I assure you, Mark is acting of his own free will.”

“Like hell he is! Christ, Nige, you know how obliging natured he is and you’re exploiting that.”

“I’m not a kid, Jay. I know what I’m doing.” Mark speaks up from his spot on Nigel’s sofa. 

“And it’s alright, really it is. I don’t mind doing this if it’s gonna help the band.”

He gives Jason a sad little self deprecating half smile and laugh.

“Besides, I gotta do something to contribute, right?”

Jason feels his heart breaking at those words. Because he knows that Mark believes it. Believes that this all he has to offer that is of value.

And he wants so badly to tell him it isn’t true. To tell him that he’s special, because Mark is special, Jason knows he is, knows he’s got so much potential inside of him.

But he knows Mark won’t believe him. 

“I have to do this, Jay. We’ve been working so hard to get to this point. And if we got turned down because I didn’t cooperate, I’d never forgive myself.”

Jason wishes he could tell him that won’t happen. That Mark sacrificing himself is unnecessary and they’ll be signed purely on the strength of their talent. But he knows the business doesn’t work that way. 

And he wishes he had the courage to tell Nigel he doesn’t want to be part of a business that demands you not only give up your body but you give up your soul as well. He wishes they all did. But what will become of them if they ever do?

And so all he can do is hug Mark tight and tell him “just be careful, alright?”

And hope to God that it’s all worth it.


End file.
